Ravenous Souls

Chapter 6: Evoked

Antenna The Abused

When the night settled around them Antenna and her father were walking in complete darkness. However, the night was loud. The crickets and cicadas in the bush sung as the spiders made their cobwebs. It was impossible to avoid it. And not knowing where they were going Antenna tightened her grasp onto the revolver.

"Girl, It hit me today. You really amaze me you know that" A compliment Antenna didn't expect. "Don't let the town folk get to you okay. That is just something us Leroy's got to deal with. I was a hero. Cloaked in red at the start of this devil outbreak. I came back home when your mother had you and I'm the same Leroy outlaw they treated me like before I went to become a Revenant. You can thank your Grandaddy for that." She had a few bad encounters with the villagers, but it wasn't near to the amount ridicule her father received but still she went along, "I won't daddy."

"Good. You'll be a good Leroy than. Once I'm dead and gone you will carry that name and bring so much with that. My father was hard on me as well. I want you to know I do it out of love. One day you'll be my age and wonder why the world is against you like you're the only one fighting against it. Then you will remember what your daddy used to say. You know what my daddy used to say?" He paused rhetorically. "Stop being a god damn bugger. You know what that means girl?" He paused again. "It means don't be an idiot, dumb."
Not completely listening to her father Antenna asked, "Father why are we walking in the dark won't we need light to fight the akumahs." He scoffed, "Have you never seen an akumah? Well, I guess you are couped up in that town. I can see why you want to fight." Antenna was silent. "The bells rung for akumahs in a small herd being west of the town close to edges of Elysium. However, we are going slightly southeast of the town. Similar to us we'll probably find an akumah separated from their herd. But who knows, we may run into a couple. Nothing we can't handle. But to answer your question." He pointed to sky.

The moon had slightly shined a bluish white shine through the branches that covered the trail they were on above them. "We'll have the moon be our source of light. Each akumah is covered in illuminated markings in the darkness. We'd be doing a disservice if we were using a torch to light up the way."

At the bottom of the hike to their town was a house off to the side of the trail. It was small; however, you could tell the people had owned some of the surrounding land. Antenna's father jumped off his horse and rubbed it enthusiastically. He complimented it, "Good job my dear."

"Why are we stopping here," Antenna asked shivering. The cold wind howled brushing through the trees. Her father came to her side brushing the hair out of Antenna's face, "I can't believe you were going to cut your hair," He gave Antenna a warm smile. "I'm going to go check if these folks are alright. I want you to stay with the horse. Can you do that," He asked. She nodded her head but unfortunately it felt forced as he immediately walked away.

When he left them, she couldn't help feeling like she was being watched in the darkness. She felt like a helpless gazelle in the sight of a cheetah. She gripped the revolver pointing it into the darkness checking side to side to find reassurance, but nothing was there. Ultimately psyching herself out not finding any reassurance. She froze next to horse. If something was out there, she didn't think she could defend herself.

"Keep it together Antenna," She pinched herself trying to focus but also slightly being embarrassed she was talking a loud to herself. She turned back to the front of house with her father nowhere in sight.

A gun shot could be heard within the house. Antenna quickly put her aim up. A man ran out the house perhaps the owner. Antenna's father came out the doorway aiming a rifle at the man. He ran full speed away from the house heading towards Antenna. "Keep your guard up Antenna," He called out. The man started to run on all four as its body's begun to disfigure as a demon like creature tore through the flesh leaping towards Antenna. She couldn't react to the akumah's speed.